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overstand
Stranger


Registered: 02/05/11
Posts: 540
Last seen: 8 years, 9 months
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What is wrong with my pressure cooker?
#14072526 - 03/05/11 07:42 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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I got this pressure cooker many years ago at Walmart for $40. I bought it because I was trying to replicate KFC’s fried chicken. The instructions said that this little thing on the top would start bouncing around when it was fully pressurized. I tried it but it never did that. It just heated up, started emitting steam and making a horrible noise. I got scared, turned the heat down and never tried pressure cooking again. Well I have since taken up a new hobby; Mycology. I have read that pressure cookers are a valuable tool in mycology. Many of the teks that I have read call for pressurizing at 15 psi for x amount of time. Is there any way to tell if this thing is at 15 psi? Do you guys think I could use this as a pressure cooker even though that top part does not bounce around when it is heated?

-------------------- “Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.” - Henry David Thoreau
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ar1es
Psychonaut



Registered: 07/09/10
Posts: 776
Last seen: 1 year, 3 months
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: overstand]
#14072613 - 03/05/11 07:57 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
overstand said: I got this pressure cooker many years ago at Walmart for $40.
-------------------- " here is nothing lost or wasted in this life.” - Bhagavad Gita
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ar1es
Psychonaut



Registered: 07/09/10
Posts: 776
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: ar1es]
#14072630 - 03/05/11 08:00 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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check the instructions to see if it says 15psi
or call the customer service hotline that is probably listed on the manual and ask the person on the other end
my pressure cooker has a removable weight
i wait until steam is steadily coming out of the nozzle on the top and then i apply the weight, after 5-10 minutes it will start to rock to signal that the pressure is at 15psi
all i can say is to reread your manual
if that doesnt work then call the hotline and they can probably walk you through the procedure
did that pressure cooker come with a rack that fits inside the bottom?
if not you will need to lift any grain jars off the bottom of the pressure cooker so they dont get too hot
-------------------- " here is nothing lost or wasted in this life.” - Bhagavad Gita
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virus1824
Mr Mushroom



Registered: 09/25/05
Posts: 1,751
Loc: Europe
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: ar1es]
#14074171 - 03/06/11 03:28 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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if it just emits steam then no pressure is being buildup. mine's got a little pin you can see where the steam exits. sometimes i myself have to jiggle the pin a bit up for it to seal off properly perhaps you can do that 2. But no clue since im not familiar with that type.
-------------------- A weekend wasted is never a wasted weekend
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tugwax
Anomaly



Registered: 11/12/09
Posts: 160
Loc: Little Britain
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: overstand]
#14074239 - 03/06/11 04:08 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
overstand said: It just heated up, started emitting steam and making a horrible noise.
That's normal when it's up to pressure. The steam should be escaping from the valve weight and not out the lid seal. You can turn the heat down to a simmer, there still needs to be steam escaping but it won't be quite as noisy.
-------------------- Freedom is as great as one's tolerance for ambiguity. --------------------
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gitranduhShutr
Stranger


Registered: 10/07/10
Posts: 60
Last seen: 8 years, 7 months
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: tugwax]
#14074361 - 03/06/11 06:17 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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that pressure cooker would work fine you just need to find out if the weight is 15psi, i have a similar pc and it came with three weights 5 10 and 15 psi, 15psi is the largest obviously and the only one you will want to use. When you put the pot on the stove it will get hot and steam will come out the top part where you will put the weight. Now see that red button on the side, you put the weight on the top piece when that little button pops up. It will take 5-10 more minutes to build pressure and your weight should start dancing and it will make a hissing noise(get used to this noise, be careful it could lul you to sleeep haha), You will most likely have to keep your stove on High, or like 8 or 9, to keep pressure, remember you want to see the weight dance. GOOD LUCK BRAH!
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RogerRabbit
Bans for Pleasure



Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
Last seen: 11 months, 4 days
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: gitranduhShutr]
#14074392 - 03/06/11 06:40 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
You will most likely have to keep your stove on High, or like 8 or 9, to keep pressure, remember you want to see the weight dance. GOOD LUCK BRAH!
Incorrect.
When pressure is reached you turn the stove as low as possible where it barely emits any steam at all out the top. If the weight dances, it will boil the unit dry.
To the original poster, I would not use a PC without a gauge, nor would I trust my life to a made in china piece of junk from walmart. If you're going to get into mycology, pony up a few bucks for a real pressure cooker. The AA921 is a great starting unit. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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DynGBreeD
┌∩┐(◣_◢)┌∩┐


Registered: 01/15/11
Posts: 3,639
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: RogerRabbit]
#14074517 - 03/06/11 07:44 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said:
Quote:
You will most likely have to keep your stove on High, or like 8 or 9, to keep pressure, remember you want to see the weight dance. GOOD LUCK BRAH!
Incorrect.
When pressure is reached you turn the stove as low as possible where it barely emits any steam at all out the top. If the weight dances, it will boil the unit dry.
To the original poster, I would not use a PC without a gauge, nor would I trust my life to a made in china piece of junk from walmart. If you're going to get into mycology, pony up a few bucks for a real pressure cooker. The AA921 is a great starting unit. RR
--------------------

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gitranduhShutr
Stranger


Registered: 10/07/10
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Last seen: 8 years, 7 months
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: DynGBreeD]
#14079764 - 03/07/11 06:42 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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i'm sorry but i have the exact same pressure cooker except mine is a little bigger, its a mirro, for mirro's you if you want to keep pressure then you need the weight to dance around, at least thats what it says in the instruction manual. unless your planning to pc for 4 hours i doubt you will run dry. here is a quote from the instruction manual: "The weighted gauge is a small round weight or disk that is placed on the vent port to control internal pres- sure. Weighted-gauge pressure canners exhaust tiny amounts of air and steam each time the gauge rocks or jiggles during processing. They control pressure pre- cisely and need neither constant watching nor checking for accuracy during processing. The sound of the weight rocking or jiggling indicates that the canner is maintain- ing the recommended pressure."
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SpawnRun
Morchella esculenta



Registered: 11/12/10
Posts: 301
Loc: Oregon
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: gitranduhShutr]
#14080043 - 03/07/11 08:38 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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^^For the win.
-------------------- Clayton Wiseman
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RogerRabbit
Bans for Pleasure



Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
Last seen: 11 months, 4 days
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: gitranduhShutr]
#14080058 - 03/07/11 08:46 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
gitranduhShutr said: "The weighted gauge is a small round weight or disk that is placed on the vent port to control internal pres- sure. Weighted-gauge pressure canners exhaust tiny amounts of air and steam each time the gauge rocks or jiggles during processing. They control pressure pre- cisely and need neither constant watching nor checking for accuracy during processing. The sound of the weight rocking or jiggling indicates that the canner is maintain- ing the recommended pressure."
The 'jiggling weight' is put there for the retarded so they don't have to watch a gauge, and it also protects them from themselves, because the weight is supposed to release steam to prevent the unit from exploding. They also come with a warning about the maximum BTU the burner can be because too much fire under the PC will prevent the jiggler from releasing enough. The best sterilizers seal up tight and no steam escapes after pressure is reached.
Also, every time the weight jiggles, when steam is released from the water within, it's also released from the substrate jars, thus drying them out. There's a huge difference between pressure cooking vegetables and sterilizing grains. You don't use the instructions of the former for the latter. This is why we see so many fails when people buy those cheap ass chinese pressure cookers at walmart. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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gitranduhShutr
Stranger


Registered: 10/07/10
Posts: 60
Last seen: 8 years, 7 months
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: RogerRabbit]
#14081859 - 03/07/11 03:42 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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word, ya i'd obviously like to upgrade to an aa or make a sterilizer like the one you made rr, but for now my cheap ass mirro will have to do the trick hahaha
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wow
Lurking master



Registered: 07/27/06
Posts: 1,260
Loc: Cloud 9
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: gitranduhShutr]
#14082022 - 03/07/11 04:05 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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i have a large presto from wal-mart and it works fine.. a cheap pressure cooker is good for us noobs.. were not trying to be professionals we just want something that works... i usually get mine up to a rolling boil where its really goin then load in the jars and put the lid on.. when it starts shooting steam 10-12 inches outta the vent pipe i apply the weight and it will start to "gently rock" soon therafter.. the concept is that when the pressure is right the valve is closed and it rises and the steam is released.. im an experienced hydraulic tech... and we test check valves like this.. the gauge goes up to "cracking" the pressure is released and the valve "reseats" then the cycle continues.. if you have enough water inside the unit you will have no problems for a hour and a half sterilizing grains.. i do it all the time.. what you want is for the weight to gently rock on the vent pipe heres one like yours.. at 14-16 sec is about where you want to be.. the valve should cycle and make a "pish pish pish" sound not a steady stream..
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curiousgeorge91
Distrusted Cultivator



Registered: 02/10/11
Posts: 208
Loc: Pa, USA
Last seen: 7 years, 9 months
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: wow]
#14082325 - 03/07/11 04:59 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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I have the same one, it is 15 psi, and its idiot proof. Some people have a hard time realizing that people dont want to invest a ton of money and become mass mushroom producers. Im sure this PC will suit your needs. Its been working for me...
-------------------- The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases. - Carl Jung
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overstand
Stranger


Registered: 02/05/11
Posts: 540
Last seen: 8 years, 9 months
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: curiousgeorge91]
#14084171 - 03/07/11 10:37 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Thanks for the imput everyone. I think I got this thing working. It sealed some mason jars. It was a bit scary a first but I got the giggler to work like the one in the video above. Learning how to use a cheap pressure cooker is about like teaching yourself how to handle explosives. My mom told me some horror stories about people being injured by exploding pressure cookers.
I just made my first attempt at creating a karo/water liquid culture from a spore syringe. Wish me luck. I hope to see some mycelium soon!
-------------------- “Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.” - Henry David Thoreau
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wow
Lurking master



Registered: 07/27/06
Posts: 1,260
Loc: Cloud 9
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: overstand]
#14084783 - 03/08/11 01:34 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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good luck man im rootin for ya!
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Hitsuzen
Space Cowboy



Registered: 10/17/08
Posts: 399
Loc: Earth
Last seen: 3 years, 2 months
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: RogerRabbit]
#14084812 - 03/08/11 01:44 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said:
Quote:
gitranduhShutr said: "The weighted gauge is a small round weight or disk that is placed on the vent port to control internal pres- sure. Weighted-gauge pressure canners exhaust tiny amounts of air and steam each time the gauge rocks or jiggles during processing. They control pressure pre- cisely and need neither constant watching nor checking for accuracy during processing. The sound of the weight rocking or jiggling indicates that the canner is maintain- ing the recommended pressure."
The 'jiggling weight' is put there for the retarded so they don't have to watch a gauge, and it also protects them from themselves, because the weight is supposed to release steam to prevent the unit from exploding. They also come with a warning about the maximum BTU the burner can be because too much fire under the PC will prevent the jiggler from releasing enough. The best sterilizers seal up tight and no steam escapes after pressure is reached.
Also, every time the weight jiggles, when steam is released from the water within, it's also released from the substrate jars, thus drying them out. There's a huge difference between pressure cooking vegetables and sterilizing grains. You don't use the instructions of the former for the latter. This is why we see so many fails when people buy those cheap ass chinese pressure cookers at walmart. RR
I feel like a asshole kid talking up to an elder, but I have to say my PC has done well for me. And I bought a Chinese PC for $60 from Wal-Mart. I will upgrade one day, but it has worked well for me for upwards of 2 years. I think we all aspire to be people of RR's standards, but it's not something we can do overnight... We have to make do.
Sidenote: I saw a PC at a discount store, returned TWICE, for $12.99. Should PC's really be sold for THAT cheap?!?! Dangerous!
-------------------- Hate never yet dispelled hate, Only love dispels hate. This is the law, Ancient and inexhaustible. -Buddha
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ar1es
Psychonaut



Registered: 07/09/10
Posts: 776
Last seen: 1 year, 3 months
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Re: What is wrong with my pressure cooker? [Re: Hitsuzen]
#14086417 - 03/08/11 12:32 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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i got an AA that holds 7 quart jars or 4 bags of spawn with 3-4 quarts in each bag for about $90 on ebay
i still use my presto but a good pressure cooker isnt much more expensive
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